Yes. While the majority of films and series that are added to Disney+ continue to be available, some titles, unfortunately, have been removed from Disney+. It reads: This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. Aladdin (1992) Critics have expressed concerns over the story's use of Orientalist stereotypes, while casting decisions also came under scrutiny, with Aladdin, Princess Jasmine and the genie . So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Aladdin never had a content warning until now, but the edited version has always been on Disney+. to be set somewhere in the Middle East. Ron Clements and John Musker, the directors of the 1992 film, that the movie was originally intended to be set in Baghdad, Iraq. For more information, please see our Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. It feels sincere, and its also good business., In November 2019, when Disney launched its Disney+ streaming service, the company added content warnings ahead of its animated classics Dumbo (1941), The Jungle Book (1967) and Aladdin (1992) to warn audiences that the movies may contain outdated cultural depictions.. A lot of it is, honestly, hard to tell or point out when you're not part of the group involved. Of any of the big, more modern movies Pocahontas should be the first one with a disclaimer. October 19, 2020 / 11:46 AM / CBS News Disney is adding a disclaimer to some of its old movies that include racist stereotypes, the media giant announced this month. Disney+ updated its offensive content disclaimer for films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dumbo. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. We take a look at the origins of the folktale, the previous dramatic portrayals of the story, the 1992 animated film, and how the filmmakers tried to overcome past controversy in the latest rendition of, At the end of the overview, you can also find. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. Screen capture from, In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of. In the scene where Jasmine gives the beggar an apple from a cart, the merchant grabs her wrist, draws a sword saying, "Don't you know what the penalty is for stealing? For many, Disneys 1992 film Aladdin conjures up images of innocence: star-crossed lovers on a magic carpet, a benevolent pet tiger and a comedic genie who would grant every hearts desire. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. a port city that rests on the cusp of Eastern and Western nations, making it a thriving trade town and bringing together a melting pot of cultures and influences. The production designer used Turkish, Persian, and Islamic influences for the set design. The sultan's palace in Aladdin, left, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Disney is acknowledging that their past depictions of minorities/cultures in Alladin was not okay, but not take it down because removing it may as well be pretending it didn't happen. Aoki, who has worked with Disney-owned ABC in the past as a part of the Asian Pacific American Media Colation, says he has concerns that the language in the disclaimer would not be understandable to a younger audience, likely the biggest demographic for the massive Disney+ library that dates back over eight decades. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. The line you're thinking of is "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. Others defended Scott, noting that the story includes Indian aspects, Agrabah is meant to be a melting pot of cultures, and Jasmines mother is said to be from another land, making it entirely plausible that Jasmine could be an Indian woman. Reviews have been mixed but the film has been popular, nonetheless: the. Jasmine can be seen wearing one of her mother's bracelets in the live-action movie. Answer: A lot of older movies (god I hate calling movies from the 90's "older") include often passive stereotypes or themes about minority groups that while may not have been intentionally harmful, still perpetuate potentially harmful or offensive ideas about a culture or location. If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Given that is fictional, whos to say it cant include many different races and ethnic backgrounds? Ultimately, crap like this needs to earn a place for my time and effort based on the marketplace, but until the culture gets steered back toward truth and Capitalism, I can tolerate this silliness. I know that they would be very disappointed that there is not even a disclaimer to acknowledge that there are some questionable things in that film.. in the new adaptation. Abby Monteil. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Since Disney Plus launched last November, experts have criticized the soft language used in its disclaimer on older titles like 1941's Dumbo, that warned films "may contain outdated cultural depictions.". Aladdin does trick the Genie into freeing him from the Cave of Wonders without using a wish. Delivered Wednesdays. It just reminds me of apu from the simpsons, where they got such a backlash that the voice actor now quit doing his voice. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Although Disney posted this message in front of the original Aladdin, the version on Disney+ has still removed the "cut off your ear" line from the opening song and Aladdin's mumbling on the balcony. Besides from what I vaguely remember about Aladdin was he was a poor theif (or street rat for the non PC types) who befriended an enslaved genie and found a magic carpet ride in order to overcome evil Jafar, win the affection of a bra wearing princess, and became the king of Arabia or something. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Disney+ Updates Offensive Content Disclaimer for Aladdin, Peter Pan and More, Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth, Disney: COVID Forces Restructure, Puts Greater Focus on Streaming Content, Disney+ Rebrands Non-MCU Marvel Films as Marvel Legacy, REVIEW: Frank Miller Presents Ancient Enemies: The Djinni #1 Crafts a Compelling Origin Story, REVIEW: DC's Shazam! The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Of any of the big, more modern movies Pocahontas should be the first one with a disclaimer. She covers film and TV news and reviews. that Disney should stop trying to improve stories that are problematic and should leave them in the past, instead focusing on new stories that wont be tainted by previously offensive versions. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins big at SAG Awards, HBO's "Succession" will end with season 4, creator says, Richard Belzer, comedian and "Law & Order: SVU" actor, dies at 78, "The Last of Us" creator Neil Druckmann on the series' success, Ryan Seacrest leaving "Live"; Kelly Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, to step in. DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. If you are a younger person and youre watching something and that youre not aware that theres potential violence or now, cultural insensitivity, I think [the disclaimer] is kind of protecting [filmmakers] the same way that it does those other catchphrases., Still, she says that Disneys decision to include a disclaimer is appreciated, noting it is the first step to correcting things that might not have been thought about 10, 20, 30 years ago when these [films] were being made., Aoki echoes that sentiment, saying he finds Disney today to be a totally different company from the one that existed even 20, 25 years ago. He adds: I spoke to a Disney executive a few years ago who told me that, I think it was every Friday, [CEO] Bob Iger has a meeting with all the company heads, including Marvel and Pixar and everybody that is under their corporate umbrella, and he says, OK, report to me what you have done to further diversity at this company. So its not lip service as far as, Oh, yes, we believe in diversity and we try to have open casting. Nothing else. CBS News has reached out to the Walt Disney Company for more information. The film was criticised for perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes of the Middle East and Asia. Looking further back, 1940sFantasiahas been criticized for the depiction of a black centaurette called Sunflower polishing the hooves of a white centaurette, as well as another named Otika who briefly appears in the Pastoral Symphonysegment. The disclaimers are not a signal that the films have been canceled, Ben Mankiewicz, a host on classic TV network TCM, told the Reporter. pic.twitter.com/X9aGjXv97o. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. But its good that Disney is protecting the world from what they have deemed racist Middle Eastern tropes invented by none other than people from the Middle East. While Agrabah is apparently described as this melting pot of ethnicities, that concept comes from the deeply-problematic 1992 animated film. Source. Now, it admits they were not just "outdated" but "wrong" even back then and that such negative portrayals had a harmful impact in real life. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The level of authenticity Netflix is trying to achieve with this show is definitely what attracted me the most to be part of this project.. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Why, on Disney plus, does aladdin have a disclaimer but not Pocahontas? The iconic films Aristocats (1970), Peter Pan (1953) and Swiss Family Robinson (1960) also feature the warning ahead of the film. I think of Aladdin as the Robin Williams show. After Shaheen protested against the film alongside the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Disney agreed to alter the lyrics in Arabian Nights for Aladdin's video release in 1993, and defended it, as it was a rare film to feature an Arab hero and heroine. Even real-life cities are melting pots of different languages, racial and ethnic groups, and religions, just as Agrabah is. I would hope that Disney would do it for all the films that might include some things that are a little outdated, says Azita Ghanizada, founder of MENA (Middle Eastern North African) Arts Advocacy Coalition. Answer: Alladin has stereotypes of minorities that were considered acceptable by most people when it is made, but society has progressed and no longer view that as acceptable (for good reason). I do not want to shy away from that. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Providing warning labels to minorities like myself does nothing to protect or encourage us in society. Why does Aladdin have a warning before it? As mentioned above, the original, one of many films released as part of the Disney Renaissance, made $504 million worldwide over its entire box office lifetime. If anything it highlighted overcoming a class struggle but I guess Marxism has mutated to race and gender now. One distraction during the film was its odd use of ethnic stereotypes. Mar 1, 2023. Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. An adamant defender of The Last Jedi and the series finale of Lost, he can be reached at sam.g@cbr.com or through his Twitter, @SamMgelman. He also asked the producers to respect Islam and to add a humane character, Aladdins mother, an Arab woman willing to sacrifice everything for her sons happiness.. It may contain outdated cultural depictions" accompany the description of each relevant film on the menu page. BBC did an article discussing it a few years ago when the remake was being talked about that might point to some examples where it's coming from. The new message plays before all of the listed films for about 10 seconds and cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded. Is it okay to watch a movie if it includes offensive parts? Shaheen warned that these images would perpetuate negative stereotypes that literally sustain adverse portraits across generations. He argued: There is a commanding link between make-believe aberrations and the real world, and warned of the negative portrayal of Agrabah, the films fictionalised city that he called Hollywoods fabricated Ayrabland. It appears that for some, this warning wasnt unfounded: in 2015 it was revealed that 30% of Republican voters in the US would vote in support of bombing Agrabah. Thedisclaimerappears with some animated Disney classics such as 1967sThe Jungle Bookand 1953sPeter Pan,offering caution to viewers of racist and culturally insensitive depictions and references in the plots and characters of those movies. As a matter of fact, it only makes us feel like we should start becoming filmmakers and replace those who have anointed themselves as our leaders. But they will not stop playing Aladdin. The names Jasmine and Aladdin are both of Middle-Eastern origin, with Aladdin being derived from Arabic while Jasmine has its roots in Persian. 1. But maybe thats the issue that Disney and other major corporations cant seem to understand. The Stories Matter page on Disney's site notes the characters' connection to racist minstrel shows. It's a bunch of small things here or there that most people wouldn't think much about, but it's a good step forward to at least acknowledge the potential for harm or offense even where none was meant. That Disney talent agents are pedophiles/child molesters? It actually proves how desperate the Neo-Marxists movement is becoming; they cannot win an open, honest debate; they must invoke feelings of collective anger and mistrust to win short term victories. They want to make up for any offensive messaging they may have been a part of, Robertson told the publication. Its either that or the children are rebelling against authority. It also includes specific examples from several films of scenes and charactersthat the company now deems inappropriate. In updating the film and its content, from the Muslim Public Affairs Council, an LA advocacy group, as well as groups comprised of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Muslim scholars, activists, and creatives. Due to the advisory groups input, the film avoided the crude portrayals found. ThePeter Panentry reads: The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that reflects neither the diversity of Native peoples nor their authentic cultural traditions. The disclaimers are not a signal that the films have been canceled, Ben Mankiewicz, a host on classic TV network TCM, told the Reporter. Some accused Disney of reinforcing notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. The 1992 Disney animated film placed the story in the Middle East but the change in scenery was not necessarily based on historic or contemporary accuracy. Aladdin now has a warning on Disney + pic.twitter.com/ZzrX6qHqct, This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. Aladdin is one of the greatest animated movies of all time and one of the main reasons behind that is the Genie character. Aladdin(1992), which previously did not have a warning, has been added to the list. But just which films and shows meet the criteria for the disclaimer is not clear. Aladdin is one of them. However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers. For The Lone Ranger specifically,Skyhawk explained Johnny Depp taking on the role of Tonto, described as a spirit warrior from the Comanche tribe, was offensive casting resulting in an offensive character. Theyre suddenly switching lanes (without putting on their signal, I should add) and trying to educate when they should just be creating a fun environment. Makes me think Disney is putting warnings out there so people buy their movies before they go back to retiring movies for a year or two to create demand curves for their products. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Since Disney is so horrified of its own movie, perhaps they should return the hundreds of millions of dollars they made off it. Yunioshi., We had several people from MANAA talking about the concerns of yellowface and what was wrong with Mickey Rooneys portrayal, he adds. The casting of Naomi Scott, who is of English and Indian descent, upset some fans and critics who believed the role should have been played by a Middle Eastern actress. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. If the consensus from those directly harmed is that we need stronger wording you will receive no argument from me. Aladdin wasn't asking for a kingdom or riches. In June, Disney said it would retheme Disneyland's Splash Mountain, basing it on the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, instead of the 1946 southern plantation movie Song of the South. The movie that inspired her to want a career in film is Lost in Translation. Most people consider Aladdin to be set somewhere in the Middle East. The new . Instead of simply being upset with her father for restricting who she can marry as in the 1992 version Jasmine aspires to be the first female sultan and is frustrated by her fathers refusal to consider her because of her gender. Answer: Well I don't know which version they are showing, but in the origubal the salesman in the beginning sings that in the east they cut off your tongue and ears or something in that fashion when they catch you stealing, which is considered stereotyping. A content advisory notice for racism in classic Disney films, in place since last year, has been updated with a strengthened message. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as "redskins," an offensive term. Nearly a year later, on Thursday, Disney said that after consulting with a council of organizations representing minorities, it's added a newdisclaimer acknowledging the "harmful impact" of racist stereotypes in some of its older films. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. In its history, Disney has produced 56 animated movies. But now Disney is offended by its own creation, so it slaps a warning on Aladdin. To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visitwww.disney.com/StoriesMatter. Disney+ updated its offensive content disclaimer for films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dumbo. Hang tough The new statement is more strongly worded than one Disneytacked onto some films when Disney+ first rolled out last year. InPeter Pan, offensive Native Americans caricatures appear throughout the story, along with the problematic song, What Makes the Red Man Red. Lady and the Trampand another Disney animated animal film,Aristocats, both feature cats that mock Asian Americans with illustration and voice acting. Disney said it created an advisory council made up of outside experts who helped the company "assess our content and ensure it accurately represents our global audiences." By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. How do you feel about Aladdin? The company said that while it can't change he past, "we can acknowledge it, learn from it and move forward together.".